Part two of our tried and tested tricks, tips and secrets for fast, easy and efficient camping!

EASY FIRE STARTING

Wet timber is difficult to light especially if you’re on your own. No camp should be without a fire. Collect egg cartons, stack and soak them in sump oil or any oil for a few days (even with your old oil in the shed before you go). When done cut them into “bricks” and dry. Store the dry bricks in a plastic container and when timber is hard to light use one as a fire starter.

THE RIGHT TOOLS

When heading out, have a dedicated small box for your Adventure Kings tools and equipment, and keep it in a spot that’s easy to access like your roof. Not just for your 4WD, but for servicing camp equipment like chainsaws etc. On top of that, make sure you know how to use them!

SPREAD THE WORD

Before you head out, make sure you tell people where you plan to go, what you’ll be doing and how long you expect to be. If you can, give your contact a map of where you’re going/ where you’re camping so if something does happen, they can pass the map onto emergency services.

PORTABLE BBQ

When you’re on your own, for the most part space saving won’t be a massive concern. If you can, chuck your Voyager Portable BBQ in the back. It’s a lot quicker than cooking on the fire, and you can setup and pack up with no fuss – ideal for the solo camper!

PORTALOO

You may have seen this one in 4WD Action before – because it’s just that good. Get yourself an old milk crate and toilet seat, cut a hole in the milk crate and attach the seat to it. For added comfort, a stubby holder for your cold one and a roll holder can be added too…space isn’t an issue on your own, why not answer natures call in luxury!

10 EASY TIPS FOR COUPLES

YOU’LL HAVE IT SET UP IN SECONDS AND NEVER HAVE TO MUCK AROUND AGAIN!

They say the true test for a couple is to travel together – check out these tips to make sure your couples getaway is the best it can be!

SHARE THE LOAD

Depending on the vehicle you choose to take, make sure both of you can drive in the terrain that you’re travelling in case of an emergency and one party is unable to drive. As well as this, it just makes the trip a lot smoother if you share the load when driving.

CAMPING LUXURY

A cheapie door matt next to your swag, rooftop tent ladder or camper trailer door lets you step out of your boots without bringing dirt into your bed. Keep a cheapie rolled up behind the toolbox and it’s the first thing I grab when I get to camp – the missus will thank you for not bringing dirt into the bed.

EASY CAMPING

Whatever tent, swag or camper you buy, make sure it’s easy to set up and pack down. The easier it is, the less arguments you’ll have with the other half around camp and the faster you can kick back with a coldie. Simplicity is key when camping together.

TRAVELLING WITH YOUR BEST MATE

It’s sort of a couple, but if you’re travelling with a dog, put their dry food in a jerry can. You can store it anywhere, it doesn’t smell, it won’t spill, it won’t attract ants or mice and it’s easy to dish out at camp. Just make sure you have enough space for it. You can even use one of those smaller jerry cans for it too.

BUDGETING DONE RIGHT

Nothing will ruin a trip (or a relationship) more than running out of money. That’s why it’s so important to make sure you spend time before any extended camping journey to do the maths and get yourself a solid budget. You need to take things into account like the increased price of food and fuel in remote areas, not to mention allowing a bit extra for any mechanical repairs that come along. While it’s not exactly anyone’s idea of fun, spending the time to do a proper budget prior to your trip will ensure that you have more fun and less stress out in the scrub.

CLEVER CLOTHES LINE

Use a guy rope and dampening spring as a clothes line. Simply attach a karabiner at each end, link a few together if you need a longer line, and pull the guy rope handle to tension. You’ll have it set up in seconds and never have to muck around tying and untying knots again.

CAMP TOGETHER

When heading off whether for a weekend or longer trip, share the camping workload between the two of you. That way you’ll be ready to share the fun in half the time, and each of you can be responsible for certain parts of the trip.

SMART SLEEPING STORAGE

Installing a cargo net to the roof above the rear passenger seat for things like pillows and sleeping bags is an excellent idea for space saving. An added benefit is they stay clean, don’t take up valuable boot space and are easy to get to!

THE COUPLE COUCH

If you are looking to save space, you can pick up one of those twin camping chairs, and they don’t take up much more room when folded up than a normal chair. They are ideal for shorter trips away with your better half. What’s even better is, if only one of you is using it at the time, you can spread out!

THE LITTLE THINGS

Get yourself an Adventure Kings self-inflating mattress for the double swag. The mattress in the Big Daddy Deluxe is already great, but after trying a self-inflating unit your swag game will change for the better!

10 TIPS FOR CAMPING WITH THE WHOLE CLAN

THEY ARE OUT THERE TO EXPERIENCE THE BUSH. LET THEM RUN FREE!

STORAGE KING

The thing with travelling with kids, is that they have so much gear you need to take when you go camping. That means you really need to best utilise the space on offer to fit as much as possible. One way to do this, is to use a trusty Adventure Kings vacuum sealer. Now most people will tell you these things are sensational when it comes to maximising food storage space, but why stop there? A vacuum sealer takes up very little space, so take it with you, and vacuum pack your food, clothes and anything else that tends to take up excessive space. You’ll be surprised by how much space you save!

GET THEM INVOLVED

Have everyone involved when family camping by assigning each person a job when setting up the camp or collecting firewood. This way everyone has something to do and owns their slice of the fun.

FEEDING TIME

No matter how far you’re traveling, as soon as you get in the 4WD, the kids are going to tell you they’re hungry! The fact is, kids will use boredom as an excuse to eat, so it’s important to keep them entertained, and to ensure you plan specific stops for morning tea, lunch and afternoon tea. The thing is, they’re still going to want to eat while you’re on the tracks, and let’s face it, the last thing you want is to have to clean up a whole bunch of leftovers once you’re back at camp. Take a lunch box in the vehicle with you, with pre-prepared snacks – things like sliced apple or the odd biscuit. Doing this will help keep the mess (and complaints!) to a minimum. Also let the kids help with the food prep while you’re at camp, that way they know exactly what to expect.

GIVING THEM SOME RESPONSIBILITIES

The greatest way to educate the kids is to give them some responsibility – If you let them have their own bag or seat organiser in the back of the 4WD, they can set it up the way they like it (with some guidance). It will get them involved and they will love having their own part of the trip to take care of.

K.I.S.S

When travelling with the family keep it simple. Particularly with the kids clothing and belongings, one set of good clothes is ideal for when you get into town, and then a couple of pairs of old clothes. That way, they can get dirty in their old gear and it doesn’t matter. They are out there to experience the bush. Let them run free!

EMERGENCY SITUATIONS

If there’s one thing you can never take too seriously when you head bush with the family, it’s safety. To that end, we recommend without reservation that every parent complete a first aid course if you plan to go camping with your kids, and ensure you’ve got a fully stocked first aid kit. Just ask yourself the question “Would I know what to do if my child gets bitten by a snake?” If the answer is no, then it’s really a no-brainer – enrol yourself in a first aid course and get yourself a comprehensive first aid kit like the Rescue Swag First Aid Kit.

BUSH COMMUNICATIONS

Not to harp too much on safety, but if you’re camping in a remote or semi-remote region, then make sure you’ve got a reliable form of communication should things go wrong. Unfortunately, a UHF won’t always cut it, as it’s a relatively short-range form of communication. You’re safest option is to carry a sat-phone which will provide telephone communication regardless of where you are. The best part is, you can easily hire a sat phone, which means you don’t need to invest big bucks on purchasing one yourself. Carrying a Personal Locator Beacon or EPIRB is also wise, especially for extremely remote trips.